


The Missing Piece: The Christmas Ball

by justanoutlaw



Series: 25 Days of Ficmas 2018 [9]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ballroom Dancing, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Party, Developing Relationship, F/F, F/M, Ficmas, Foursome - F/F/M/M, Light Angst, M/M, No Smut, Polyamory, Prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-16 04:35:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16947111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw
Summary: When weather prevents David from going home for the holidays, he attends a ball at the castle. Killian, Snow and Regina have an early present for him that he wasn't expecting.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Day 11 of 25 Days of Ficmas. Separate from the original verse because there's no smut here.

David stood by the window in the ball room, watching the snow fall on the ground. He used to love it as a child, playing outside for hours on end with the other children. He’d come running back into the house, dragging mud and icy water everywhere. Ruth would shake her head with a smile and run him a hot bath. It wasn’t often that David got to just be a kid, but on snowy days, he was granted that opportunity.

 

In that moment, however, David hated snow more than anything.

 

Regina, Snow and Killian had agreed that he could have Christmas off to go visit his mother. Killian’s brother was going to be visiting, alongside Regina’s father and told him it was a time to be with family. The day he was due to leave, however, the grounds near his mother’s village were blocked and it was too dangerous to travel. Ruth understood, in fact she insisted that David stay put. Even so, he was still sad. It would be their first Christmas apart and he was spending the eve of it at a ball where he only knew his bosses.

 

Snow had tried to lift his spirits, showing him the finely tailored outfit she had made for him. It went along nicely with the rest of theirs. Regina wore a ruby red dress trimmed with gold, while Snow wore a matching one in emerald. Killian also wore a suit made of the same shade of green, with his navy badges attached as he almost always did. David’s was the same shade as Snow’s, with hints of gold throughout it. It still felt strange to wear these clothes, despite that he had been wearing a lot of them since he was hired. He felt like a little boy playing dress up, rather than a prince.

 

“Probably because you’re not one,” he mumbled to himself. “Remember your place.”

 

That was the hard part. While they did have sex with him, Killian, Snow and Regina didn’t treat him like he was there just for sex and chores. They let him eat at the table with them, they talked to him and asked his opinion on matters. When he finished his work, he was allowed to read or draw. They had even pointed out that he had a stocking and a few presents under the tree for him. Even so, he had to remind himself that this wasn’t home.

 

David felt someone tap his shoulder and spun around to find Killian standing there. “Do you need me to serve any of our guests?” He asked.

Killian shook his head. “Lad, we told you that you’re not working this evening. It’s a holiday. I was just going to ask you if you’d like to dance. Snow and Regina are out there, but they’ve left me out.”

 

David peered out onto the floor and sure enough, the two women were swaying to the music. Nearby, he noticed that Killian’s brother, Liam, was asking Lady Belle to dance. Even Henry Sr. had gotten the courage up to ask one of the older women in attendance. It seemed that they were the only two not on the floor.

 

“I’m not very good,” he said.

“I’m sure you’re better than I. Come on.”

 

Killian held out his hand and David slowly accepted it, allowing him to lead him onto the dance floor. He felt Killian’s hook wrap around his waist, but somehow it didn’t pierce the fine suit.

 

“Just follow my lead and move with the beat.”

 

David did as he was told, counting under his breath like his mother did on the rare occasions she’d dance with his father. Eventually, he realized that he had stopped and that he was actually having fun out on the floor. He looked up at Killian and saw a beautiful smile tugging on his lips.

 

“And you said you weren’t very good,” Killian teased.

David blushed, ducking his head. “I haven’t had much practice.”

“You’re a natural, love.” He moved him outward before pulling him back in, keeping in time with the music. “I know you’re disappointed that you couldn’t see your mother.”

“Regina says I can go for the New Year instead. I suppose it’s not the date that matters.”

“Still, I’m sorry. She tried to use her magic, but she’s not well versed when it comes to weather.”

David’s heart skipped. “Regina used magic? For me?”

“No matter what you think, David, we care about you very much.”

“I’m just…”

“I’m well aware of how all this began.” Killian spun him in a circle, clearly only doing it so no one would become suspicious. “It doesn’t mean that we don’t want more.”

David nearly stepped on Killian’s foot, quickly stammering back a bit. “I don’t understand.”

“David, we’ve been talking a lot lately and we don’t want you to keep working for us. We want you to become a part of our relationship.”

 

The song ended and Killian took a step back from David, looking a little nervous himself. Snow and Regina walked over as another song began, smiles on their faces.

 

“Well?” Regina asked.

“I only just got the chance to ask him,” Killian explained.

David looked between the three of them, his mouth sputtering a little bit. “I…I need to use the bath chambers.”

 

Before they could say anything else, David sped out of the ballroom. Rather than head to the chambers, he slid down the wall. He was a mere shepherd, they had hired him for sex and nothing more. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t have feelings for them, but he certainly had not been expecting any of this. He didn’t belong, not like the rest of them.

 

The door to the ballroom opened and shut, the sounds of footsteps coming down the hall followed. David looked up to find the three of them standing there. Killian extended his hand and helped David to his feet. He pulled him into a tight hug, not letting go. Snow joined it, followed by Regina.

 

“We know all of this is overwhelming,” Regina whispered, rubbing slow circles on his back. “But we’ve discussed it at length. We know how this all began, we never thought it would happen.”

“Now it has and we couldn’t be happier,” Snow continued, kissing his temple. “We don’t take on new people lightly and when we do, it’s for keeps. You could say no, and that’d be fine. We can keep our relationship as is.”

“We’ll continue supporting your mother, just as we do our other family members. We just needed you to know, if you want more, we want more,” Killian finished.

 

David didn’t say anything in return at first. He wrapped his arms around Killian’s waist and buried his head into his shoulder. The smells of their perfumes and cologne tangled up in his nose, nearly choking him, but it was an experience he wouldn’t change for the world. He couldn’t believe what they were offering. His whole life, he had to work to help his mother and now, they wanted to help him.

 

“Would we…would we keep our sex roles the same?” David asked.

Snow smiled. “Yes, that is the one thing we don’t want to change.”

David slowly pulled away from them, wiping the stray tears that fell from his eyes. “I just don’t feel right about accepting money when I’m not working for it.”

“David, you’d be a part of this relationship, it means we’d care for you…”

“I’d still like to be doing work, to earn it. Even if it’s not sexual.”

 

He watched as Killian, Snow and Regina quickly consulted one another, almost as if they were speaking with their eyes. Deep down, David wondered if they would ever share such a connection.

 

“How about this,” Regina said. “Before Killian married us, when we were courting, we gave him an allowance of sorts. It was for him to spend however he wished and we monitored how well he could do it before we added him to our day to day financials. We’ll do the same for you and you can use the money to finance your mother’s farm.”

“If and when you feel comfortable marrying us, then it won’t be taking our money for nothing. What’s ours would be yours,” Snow added. “Even though, right now we’d like that to be the case, even if you don’t see it.”

“It’s just…it’s important to me to earn it.”

Killian nodded. “Aye, lad. I understand a bit more than they do.”

 

He didn’t look phased by the looks his wives gave him, it was the truth. While they weren’t naïve to the plight of the poor and they had definitely struggled in other ways, they would never understand the pride of people like David. Not in the same way he would.

 

“So, do we have a deal?” Regina asked.

David nodded. “Yes. We do.”

“Excellent.” She gently kissed him. “Now come, let’s return to the ball.”

 

She linked arms with David, Killian doing the same with Snow. Together, the four entered the room for the first time as a polyamorous quad.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Day 21 of Ficmas! Mostly just some Captain Charming fluff. :)

David woke up Christmas morning, the cold wind coming through the cracked open window. He managed to wiggle out from beneath Regina and Killian’s grip, heading over and closing the shutters once more. He looked at his three sleeping partners in bed, Killian softly snoring while he could barely tell if Snow and Regina were breathing at all. They were such quiet sleepers, the only sign being how their bare chests raised and fell.

 

It was weird not being home for Christmas. He missed his mom and yet, he wouldn’t take back the night before for anything in the world. He had been given the best gift, the three of them asking if he would stay officially. He wasn’t their toy anymore, he was a real part of the relationship.

 

He still didn’t know if he deserved it or not. He was a poor boy, a shepherd. Then again, Killian hadn’t come from money either. He had once been sold into servitude by his own father. Snow and Regina had fallen for him regardless. How was it so easy for him to be a Prince Consort? Just working in the castle gave him anxiety.

 

Yet, he loved the three of them so much. He wanted it, even if he didn’t feel like he belonged.

 

Regina, Snow and Killian had given the guards the day off, so he walked through the empty halls down to the sitting room with the beautifully decorated tree. There were more presents surrounding it than David had ever seen. Most Christmases, he got a stocking with some food and a couple of smaller gifts, if his mom could afford it. Some year, the present was just a tree itself.

 

“A lot to take in, huh, lad?”

Killian’s voice caused David to jump. “You scared me.”

He chuckled, cupping his face. “Merry Christmas,” he said, kissing him gently.

David savored the kiss, allowing his tongue to slip into his mouth. He wrapped his arms around his waist, going to fiddle with the sash around his robe. “Merry Christmas. Where’s Regina and Snow?”

“Still sleeping. I woke up and saw you were missing. Got worried.”

“Just wanted to look at the tree again. It’s… a lot to get used to.”

“I felt the same way when I first got here. It can be overwhelming. Let’s take it slow, huh?” David nodded and he smiled. “Good.”

He bent down and grabbed hold of a couple of packages, wrapped in green paper.

 

“These are from me.”

 

David unwrapped them, finding a leather bound book along with some charcoal pencils inside. The other one contained some blank paper and paints, with some amazing brushes. David’s eyes widened and he looked up at Killian, who merely shrugged.

 

“You kept using my art supplies, so I figured I’d get you your own.”

“Thank you,” he whispered. “These…these are perfect.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“My gift doesn’t even compare to this. I just made you a stupid painting.”

“Hey. Nothing,” Killian cupped his cheeks once more. “You made could ever be stupid.”

 

The two began to kiss once more. They only pulled away when they heard Regina and Snow coming into the foyer.

 

“Opening presents without us, aye?” Regina asked, slipping an arm around Killian.

“Sorry, love, just wanted to break David into it.” He pecked her cheek, wishing her a Merry Christmas.

David pulled Snow close to him to give her a kiss as well. “You ready to open gifts? Should I make you some coffee first?”

Snow shook her head. “Nah. Seeing the excitement in your eyes is all the energy I need.” 


End file.
